Solder-feeding device for can-making machines.



No. 877,673. PATENTED-JAN. 28, 1908. O. W. SLEEPER.

SOLDER FEEDING DEVICE FOR CAN MAKING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.16,1907.

THE Norams PETERS co.. umsumcrmv, o. c.

C/mrlw W 6766;

UNITE STATES PATENT oEEIcE.

SOLDIER-FEEDING DEVICE FOR CAN-MAKING MACHINES.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, CHAnLEs W. SLEEPER, a subject of the King of GreatBritain and Ireland, residing at Lancaster, in the county of Coos, Stateof New Hampshire, have invented. certain new and useful Improvements inSolder-Feeding Devices for Can- Making Machines, of which the followingis a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming a part hereof.

This invention relates to solder feeding mechanism for can solderingmachines, and is designed for the purpose of feeding granulated solderin the solid form to the interior of can bodies and heads previouslyassembled and fed beneath the solder feeding device, as by means of asuitable moving chain, the soldering process being subsequentlyaocomplished by melting the solder within the cans by heating meanslocated exterior thereto.

My invention also comprises means for directing a jet of compressed airinto the interior of the can body after solder has been supplied theretoand before it has been melted, in order to distribute the solder aroundthe outer edge of the can bottom where the seam is to be formed.

My invention also comprises such further features of construction as aredisclosed in the following specification and particularly specified inthe concluding claim.

In the accompanying drawing, -Figure 1 is a side view in elevation of myinvention.

- Fig. 2 is an end View, parts of the machine to which my device isattached being shown in section, and the device being illustrated asapplied to a machine in which a plurality of can-feeding members areemployed. Fig. 3 is a vertical section showing details of the solderfeeding means. Fig. 4 is a plan view of a can soldering machine havingmy solder feeding device attached thereto, this view showing a machinehaving a plurality of can-feeding members as in Fig. 2. Figs. 5 and. 6are sectional and plan views of a can of a type made by machines withwhich I have used my invention and serving to illustrate the operationof the air blast hereinafter disclosed. Fig. 7 is a perspective view ofan element of my device.

1 is a portion of the supporting frame of a can soldering machine towhich I have shown my invention as attached, and 2 is a portion of aheated plate forming a part of said Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 16. 1907. Serial No. 352.563.

Patented Jan. 28, 1908.

purpose of this second chain being to press the can body and head to besoldered thereto together while they are moved across the heated plateby the chain 3, and while the soldering operation is taking place, as isusual in can soldering machines of the type to which I have applied myinvention; although it will be appreciated that 'my invention isapplicable to other types of can soldering machines.

5 is a hopper adapted to contain finely divided solder in the solid formwhich may be prepared by granulating melted solder or by cutting solderpreviously formed into wire into small pieces or by other well knownprocesses producing a like result. The hopper is supported from theframe of the ma chine and extends over the heated plate as shown, andthe solder contained therein is fed to the cans as they pass beneath thehopper.

6 is an oscillating shaft journaled in supports projecting from one sideof the hopper 5, one of which supports is shown at 7.

8 is an arm secured to the shaft 6 and slotted as shown at 9, and 10 isa pitman connected with the arm 8 by the bolt 11, which pitman isreciprocated from some moving member of the machine and transmitsoscillating motion to the shaft 6.

Secured to the inclined bottom 12 0f the hopper 5 is a securing andguiding member 13 frequently referred to hereinafter as a guide,provided with a passage 14; and between said guide and the bottom of thehopper is a feed slide 15. This slide is rectangular in'cross-sectionand is secured in place and guided by the guiding member 13, as byresting within a suitable groove formed in the upper surface thereof;and it is provided with a feed pocket 16 extending therethrough.

The bottom 12 of the hopper is provided with an opening 17 out of linewith the passage 14; and the arrangement of the opening 17, pocket 16,and passage 14 is such that in one position of the slide (as shown inFig. 3) the feed pocket 16 is beneath the opening 17 and receives solderfrom the hopper, communication between the feed pocket and the passage14 being interrupted at this'time; while as the slide into the cans.

is moved to the right solder within the feed pocket will be carried overthe upper end of the passage 14, and will fall therethrough into the canbelow. It will be evident that the quantity of solder supplied to thecans will be determined by theamount or extent of movement imparted tothe slide 15 by means hereinafter disclosed, which move ment may beregulated by varying the position of the bolt 11 in the slot 9.

The guide 13 is provided with downwardly extending side pieces 18, asshown in Fig. 2-, which engage the sides of the chain 4; and restingupon said chain and held. loosely in place by the members 18 is a shoe19 having an opening 20 in line with the passage 14. This shoe is heldagainst longitudinal movement by a pin 21 thereupon which engages a lug22 on the side of the hopper, and it is pressed against the chain 4 by aspring 23. The links of the chain 4 are provided with longitudinallyextending openings 24 to allow the solder to drop through the chainMotion is transmitted to the slide 15 from the shaft 6 by means of anarm 25 upon said shaft and a latch member 26 pivotally secured at 27 tosaid arm. This atch has a shoulder 28 adapted to engage the end of theslide, and a hook 29 adapted to engage a notch 30 in the under side ofthe slide. It will be evident that when the parts are in the positionshown in Fig. 3 motion in both directions will be imparted to the slideas the shaft 6 is oscillated.

' 31 is a trail member, one end thereof being pivotally secured at 32 tothe guide member 13 and the other end resting upon the upper end of thecans as they pass beneath the solder feeding mechanism.

33 is a spring, one end thereof being secured to the latch member 26 andthe free end thereof extending to and resting upon the upper surface ofthe free end of the trail member 31. From the above it will be evidentthat so long as cans are passing through the machine'the engagement ofthe upper ends of the cans with the free end of the trail member willkeep said member in its elevated position as shown in Fig. 3, and,through the spring 32, will maintain the latch member 26 in position totransmit motion in both directions to the slide 15. If. however, thesupply of cans is interrupted or ceases, the free end of the trailmember will fall, thus disengaging the hook 29 and notch 30, after whichthe slide will not be moved t the right, and the supply of solder willcease until the free end of the trail member is beneath the solderfeeding device, it will be evident that solder will be supplied to theinterior of each can as it passes beneath said device, and will bedistributed over the bottom thereof something as shown in Fig. 6. Inorder to distribute the solder around the edges of the can where theseam is to be formed, and in the manner shown in Fig. 5, I provide meanswhereby a jet of com ressed air is directed downward against the ottomof the can after the solder has been supplied thereto and before it hasbeen melted to blow the solder to the periphery of the can bottom, asshown in Fig. 5. To this end I provide a compressed air supply pipe 34carried by suitable supports upon the frame of the machine, one of whichis shown at 35.

36 is an opening in the under side of the pipe-34, and 37 is a valve insaid pipe.

38 is an arm by which the valve may be operated, and 39 is a pitmanadapted to be reciprocated from any moving member of the machine. Theseparts are so adjusted that the valve 37 will be opened when the cans arebeneath the pipe 34, whereupon a jet of compressed air from the openings36 will be directed against the bottom of the canto blow the solder fromthe central position in which it falls, as indicated in Fig. 6, to theperiphphery where the seam is to be formed, as shown in Fig. 5.

I/Vhile in describing my device and explaining its operation, I havereferred to a single series of cans as passing beneath a singlesolder-feeding device, it is my usual practice to arrange a plurality(and as many as may be desired) of such devices side by side as shown inFigs. 2 and 4, the whole constituting a single machine.

Having thus described my invention and explained the mode of operationthereof, I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a solderv feeding device, a hopper for containing granulatedsolder; a chain for feeding cans to be soldered beneath said hopper; asecond chain adapted. to rest upon the tops of the cans and to move withthem; openings in the links of said second chain; a passage leading fromsaid hopper and adapted to discharge solder through said openings andinto the interior of the cans; and means for controlling the flow ofsolder through said passage.

. 2. In a solder feeding device, a hopper for containing granulatedsolder; a chain for feeding cans to be soldered beneath said hopper; asecond chain. adapted to rest u on the tops of the cans and to move witht em a shoe adapted to rest upon said second chain;

an opening through said shoe; openings in the links of said secondchain; a passage leading from said hopper and adapted to dischargesolder through the opening in said shoe and the openings in the links ofsaid second chain and into the interior of the cans; and means forcontrolling the flow of solder through said passage.

3. In a solder feeding device, a hopper for containing granulatedsolder; means for feeding cans to be soldered beneath said hopper; apassage leading from said hopper and adapted to discharge solder intothe interior of the cans; a reciprocating slide for controlling the flowof solder through said passage; an oscillating shaft carried in bearingsupon said hopper; an arm upon said shaft adapted to operate said slide;a second arm upon said shaft; and a pitman adapted to be operated from amoving part of the machine and connected with said second arm.

4. In a solder feeding device, a hopper for containing solder; means forfeeding cans to be'soldered beneath said hopper; a passage leading fromsaid hopper and adapted to discharge solder; means for controllingtheflow of solder through said passage; means adapted to engage saidcontrolling means andto' move with it throughout its range of movement;and means for disengaging said operating and controlling means whenthere is no can beneath the hopper.

5. In a solder feeding device, a hopper for containing solder; means forfeeding cans to be soldered beneath said. hopper; a passage leading fromsaid hopper and adapted to discharge solder; means for controlling theflow of solder through said passage; means adapted to engage saidcontrolling means and to move with it throughout its range of movementand means dependent for its operation upon the absence of a can beneaththe hopper for disengaging said operating and controlling means.

6. In a solder feeding device, a hopper for containing granulatedsolder; means for feeding cans to be soldered beneath said hopper; apassage leading from said hopper and adapted to discharge solder intothe interior of the cans; a reciprocating slide for controlling the fiowof solder through said passage; means normally disconnected from saidslide for effecting the operation thereof; means for locking said slideand operating means together; and means engaged by the cans as they passbeneath said hopper for maintaining said locking member in position tolock said operating means and slide together.

7 In a solder feeding device, a hopper for containing granulated solder;means for feeding cans to be soldered beneath said hopper; a passageleading from said hopper and adapted to discharge solder into theinterior of the cans; a reciprocating slide for controlling the flow ofsolder through said passage;

means normally disconnected from said slide for effecting the operationthereof; a latch pivotally connected with said operating member andadapted to lock said member and said slide together; and means engagedby the cans as they pass beneath said hopper for maintaining said latchin position to lock said operating member and slide together.

8. In a solder feeding device, a hopper for containing granulatedsolder; means for feeding cans to be soldered beneath said hopper; apassage leading from said hopper and adapted to discharge solder intothe interior of the cans; a reciprocating slide for controlling the flowof solder through said passage; an oscillating shaft supported inbearings upon said hopper; an arm carried by said shaft; a latchpivotally connected with said arm and adapted to lock said arm and slidetogether; a pivoted trail member in position to be engaged. by the cansas they pass beneath the hopper; and a spring extending between saidlatch and trail member.

9. In a solder feeding device, a hopper for containing granulated.solder; means for feeding cans to be soldered beneath said hopper; apassage leading from said hopper and adapted to discharge solder intothe interior of the cans; a reciprocating slide for controlling the flowof solder through said passage; an oscillating shaft supported inbearings upon said hopper; an arm carried by said shaft; a latchpivotally connected with said arm; a shoulder upon said latch adapted toengage the end of said slide to move it inward; a hook upon said. latchadapted to engage a notch in said slide to move it outward a springsecured to said latch; and a pivoted trail member in position to beengaged by the cans as they pass beneath the hopper, the free endthereof being in engagement with the free endv of the spring aforesaid.

10. In a solder feeding device, means for feeding granulated solder tothe interior of a can, the head of which is to be soldered to the bodyportion; and means for directing a stream of compressed air into the canafter the solder has been supplied thereto and as it rests upon the headthereof, whereby the solder will be blown to the periphery of the canwhere the seam is to be formed.

1 1. In a solder feeding device, a hopper for containing granulatedsolder; means for feeding cans beneath said hopper; means for feedingsolder from said hopper to the interior of the cans as they pass beneathsaid hopper; a conduit for conveying compressed air located adjacentsaid hopper; and openings in said conduit adapted to discharge a jet ofcompressed air downward into the interior of the cans after the solderhas been supplied thereto.

12. In a solder feeding device, a hopper for containing granulatedsolder; means for feeding cans beneath said hopper; means fo'rfeedingsolder from said hopper to the interior of the cans as they pass beneathsaid hopper; a conduit for conveying compressed air located adjacentsaid hopper; openings in said conduit adapted to discharge a jet ofcompressed air downward into the interior of the cans after the solderhas been supplied thereto; a valve for controlling the flow of airthrough said conduit; and means operated from a moving part of themachine for operating said valve.

13. In a solder feeding device, a hopper for containing granulatedsolder; an opening in the bottom thereof; a guide secured to the bottomof said hopper; a passage extending through said guide, said passagebeing out of line with said, opening; a reciprocating feed slide heldbetween said guide and bottom; a feed pocket in said slide; a chain forfeeding cans beneath said hopper; a second chain adapted to rest uponthe cans and to move with them; projections extending downwardly fromsaid guide and engaging the sides of said second chain; a shoe restingupon said second chain and extending between saidprojections; and anopening in said shoe registering with the passage in said guide.

14. In a solder feeding device, a hopper for containing solder; meansfor feeding cans to be soldered beneath said hopper; a passage leadingfrom said hopper; a reciprocating slide for controlling the flow ofsolder through said. passage; an oscillating shaft carried in bearingsupon said hopper; an arm upon said shaft adapted to operate said slide;a second arm upon said shaft; and a pitman adapted to be operated from amoving part of the machine and connected with said arm.

15. In a solder feeding device, a hopper for containing solder; meansfor feeding cans to be soldered beneath said hopper; a passage leadingfrom said hop er; a reciprocating slide for controlling the ffow ofsolder through said passage; means normally disconnected from said slidefor effecting the operation thereof; means for locking said slide andoperating means together; and means engaged by the cans as they passbeneath said hopper for maintaining said locking member in position tolock said operating means and slide together.

16. In a solder feeding device, a hopper for containing solder; meansfor feeding cans to be soldered beneath said hopper; a passage leadingfrom said hopper; a reciprocating slide for controlling the flow ofsolder through said passage; means normally disconnected from said slidefor effecting the operation thereof; a latch pivotally connected withsaid operating member and adapted to lock said member and said slidetogether; and means engaged by the cans as they pass beneath said hopperfor maintaining said latch in position to lock said operating member andslide together.

17. In a solder feeding device, a hopper for containing solder; meansfor feeding cans to be soldered beneath said hopper; a passage leadingfrom said hopper; a reciprocating slide for controlling the flow ofsolder through said passage; an oscillating shaft supported in bearingsupon said hopper; an arm carried by said shaft; a latch pivotallyconnected with said arm and adapted to lock said arm and slide together;a pivoted trail member in position to be engaged by the cans as theypass beneath the hopper; and a springextending between said latch andtrail member.

18. In a solder feeding device, a hopper for containing solder; meansfor feeding cans to be soldered beneath said hopper; a passage leadingfrom said hop er; a reciprocating slide for controlling the iow ofsolder through said passage; an oscillating shaft supported in bearingsupon said hopper; an arm carried by said shaft; a latch pivotallyconnected with said arm; a shoulder upon said latch adapted to engagethe end of said slide. to move it inward; a hook upon said latch adaptedto engage a notch in said slide to move it outward; a spring secured tosaid latch; and a pivoted trial member in position to be engaged by thecans as they pass beneath the hopper, the. free end thereof being inengagement with the free end of the spring aforesaid.

This specification signed and witnessed this second day of January A. D.1907.

CHARLES W. SLEEPER.

